Nashotah House Seminary announces resignation

Source: Nashotah House Seminary Press Release

August 7, 2017

DEAN AND PRESIDENT OF NASHOTAH HOUSE

TO STEP DOWN FROM LEADERSHIP AT THE END OF AUGUST

The Board of Directors of Nashotah House announced on Monday that the Very Rev. Steven Peay, Dean and President, will step down from his leadership position on August 31, 2017. Dean Peay has been appointed Research Professor of Homiletics and will remain affiliated with the seminary upon the conclusion of his service as Dean and President. Dr. Garwood P. Anderson, Ph.D., Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament studies, will assume the position of Acting Dean, effective September 1. Dr. Anderson is well-known to the Nashotah House community due to his many years of dedicated service as a teacher, scholar, and previous academic dean.

Fr. Peay notified the Board, late last week, that he had decided to step down as Dean and President, based upon a number of personal factors, including the need to concentrate on full recovery from a recent, non-life-threatening health issue and a desire to facilitate new leadership at the House. “Fr. Peay has provided extraordinary leadership to the House at a pivotal, and critical, moment in its history,” observed the Rt. Rev. Daniel Martins, Chairman of Nashotah House’s Board of Directors. “He has worked tirelessly over the course of the past two-and-a-half years to lead the House through a period of transition and institutional restructuring—and he has done a magnificent job. The Board is grateful for his ministry and service in leadership and is pleased that Father Peay will remain affiliated with the seminary in the days ahead.”

During his tenure as Dean and President, Fr. Peay worked closely with the corporate leadership of the House to implement successfully a new institutional governance structure. He also led a successful effort to ensure the seminary’s accreditation remained in good standing and laid the foundation for the upcoming accreditation process by the Association of Theological Schools, the accrediting entity for seminaries in North America. Moreover, during his term of service, Fr. Peay raised more than $7M for the seminary’s endowment, the single largest fundraising effort in the history of the House, and thus moved the institution closer to its goal of ensuring long-term financial viability. He also ensured that the gift of eight Whitechapel bells will ring out over the campus, securing the gifts necessary to build the tower to house them.

The Board expressed its thanks also to Dr. Garwood Anderson for agreeing to serve as Acting Dean. “Dr. Anderson understands well the unique mission, ministry, and Benedictine character of the House and will provide thoughtful and effective leadership during this important time of transition,” noted Bishop Martins. “We appreciate his willingness to take on this important responsibility during at time of ongoing renewal and restructuring of the House’s financial and corporate governance structures.”

Founded in 1842, Nashotah House is a recognized seminary for the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church in North America, the Episcopal Missionary Church, and the North American Lutheran Church, among others. Nashotah House is a recognized center in the United States for High Church theology, discipline, and the ideals of the Oxford Movement.